Customer Projects - Get Inspired

Would you like to share a project that you have made from our yarns or
our patterns? Hundreds of thousands of people who care
about your favorite craft will see your work. Any submissions,
particularly original ones are welcome, as long as the project was
made from Lion Brand Yarn.

Sharing the love

Created By: Lorianne Fisher Koneczny

My story begins with the receipt of beautifully knit prayer shawl from my neighbor who got it from the United Methodist Ministry.

On Thanksgiving Day 2007, I celebrated life with gratitude for all the people who lovingly gave me prayers, thoughts, and random acts of kindness during my two year struggle battling pancreatic cancer. Christmas Day 2007, I returned to the Mayo Clinic and soon learned that my cancer had spread to my liver, usually a death sentence to most people. But, I was told that I could maybe squeeze out a couple more years by having liver resection surgery. So, on January 30, 2008, I under went a major procedure and spent two weeks in the hospital recovering, one week was in the ICU barely staying alive due to a significant complication with internal bleeding.

I continued to keep the faith that so many people were praying and helping me stay strong and keep breathing. My prayer shawl gives me comfort beyond the warmth it provides; its deeper meaning gives me strength to keep on living.

I have been inspired by this act of kindness enveloped in faith from my neighbor and so many others neighbors and friends who support my family with meals and shoulders to lean on.

I know how to crochet and am learning to knit. When I have th strength to do either, I make hats and shawls for others who are suffering. Hats are especially needed for those who lose their hair during chemotherapy. They enjoy having a variety to choose from to match outfits and keep their body temperature regulated. Headware works for both men and women.

I'm making some shawls larger, like a lap blanket, for men in wheelchairs in addition to shawls for ladies to wear. I plan to make ensembles of head coverings and neck scarves with matching shawls or lap blankets so that people fighting life-altering and threatening diseases can feel the comfort I have been given with mine.

I hope sharing my short version of a very long story will help inspire more people to use their talents in knitting and crocheting to reach out with love to others who are in such need of comfort.

I travel to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, every three months to see my doctors. So I can hand deliver whatever I've finished and whatever other items other folks in my neighborhood may wish for me to take there to bring smiles to people in need.

Contact me if you would like a picture of my prayer shawl/lap blanket. I will make arrangements to borrow a digital camera.